diff --git a/to_home/.bash_profile b/to_home/.bash_profile
index 6701181..c8b24f0 100644
--- a/to_home/.bash_profile
+++ b/to_home/.bash_profile
@@ -24,3 +24,12 @@ boxweb() {
 }
 
 . ~/.config/linse_profile
+
+if [[ "$(tty)" == "/dev/tty1" && -z "$(pgrep wayfire)" ]]; then
+  echo "desktop is not running, try to start it"
+  python ~/boxtools/wait_websocket.py
+  if [[ -z "$(pgrep wayfire)" ]]; then
+    echo "start desktop (wayfire)"
+    wayfire
+  fi
+fi
diff --git a/wait_websocket.py b/wait_websocket.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..08e6617
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wait_websocket.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import time
+import socket
+
+show = True
+for _ in range(30):
+    try:
+        socket.create_connection(('localhost', 8010), timeout=1)
+        break
+    except Exception as e:
+        time.sleep(1)
+        if show:
+            print('waiting for frappy websocket')
+            show = False
+else:
+    print('failed')